Promoting electricity imports from neighboring countries such as Laos, China, and Cambodia is one of the important solutions to compensate for Vietnam's power shortage in the future. Notably, the final number for the decision to buy power from China has a total scale of9 billion kWh / year.

The electricity industry is facing many difficulties in power supply.
Photo: Nguyen Thanh

10,000MW of electricity imported from Laos

In the Draft Report on Strategic Environmental Assessment of the National Energy Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050,the Ministry of Industry and Trade has clearly stated a rather general situation on Vietnam's electricity sector, typically imported from Laos.

Specifically, implementing the policy of promoting cooperation, exchange and purchase of electricity between Laos and Vietnam, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Lao People's Democratic Republic have signed the document onSeptember 16, 2016 on the possibility of electricity exchange and purchase cooperation between the two sides.

Laos agreed to invest in the 500kV line and 230kV lines to sell electricity to Vietnam. The focal point for selling electricity from Laos to Vietnam will be the National Electricity Company of Laos (EDL), with the role of collecting electricity from projects in Laos and saleto Vietnam, it isElectricity of Vietnam (EVN).

Based on the current implementation (October 2019), in the 2021-2025period, the import scale of power projects from Laos is summarized as follows: Continue to buy electricity from Xekaman 1 Hydropower plants, 3 and XekamanXanxay (total 572MW) through existing bilateral contracts.

Collect electricity from a number of hydroelectric plants in Southern Laos, Including Nam Kong 2 (66MW), Nam Kong 3 (54MW), Nam Kong 1 (160MW), Nam Ngone 1 (45MW), Nam Ngone 2 (35MW), Sekong 3A (129MW), Sekong 3B (146MW), Nam Ang (41MW) to the area of 500kV Pleiku station.

Buying electricity from Xekaman 4 (70MW), Houay La Ngoe (60MW), Xavanakhet (360MW), Nam Emeun (129MW) hydropower plants to the 500kV Thach My station area.

Gathering hydroelectric plants in Northern Laos including: Nam Mo 1, Nam Mo 2, Nam San 3A, Nam San 3B to Ban Ve hydroelectricity (Nghe An), Nam Sum 3 hydropower cluster 3, 3A, 1AB And Sam Nua to Hua Na hydropower plant (Thanh Hoa); to collect Nam Ou hydropower cluster (5,6,7,4) and Nam Leng to the 500kV Son La 500kV station.

In the 2026-2030period, Vietnam continues to buy power from hydroelectric plants underthe memorandum of understanding between Vietnam and Laos and potential hydropower projects for development, the total scale of hydropower projects of Laos can be exported to Vietnam reaches nearly 5,000MW.

In addition to hydropower projects, a number of investors of other sources in Laos are also researching to sell electricity to Vietnam, such as Sekong coal-fired thermal power plant (1,800MW) which is expected to be connected to Quang Tri 500kV station, Houaphan thermal power station (600MW) to the area of 500kV Nho Quan station; Moonsun wind power (600MW, SeKong province) to the 500kV Thach My station area.

The total power capacity imported from Laos can be up to 10,000MW.

Buying Chinese electricity 9 billion kWh / year

According to information provided by the investor, in case Vietnam has a need, Royal Group can sell all electricity from the Stung Treng hydropower plant and Sambor hydropower plant projects to Vietnam.

These two factories are expected to come into operation in 2025-2026. However, these are hydropower plants located on the Mekong mainstream, while there are many controversial issues about the environment, ecology, and impacts on the downstream of the Mekong Delta.So, it is necessary to study more carefully before deciding to develop the project.

Regarding the grid connection with China, the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that at present, EVN has bought electricity from China through two 220kV lines according to the grid separation plan. The annual minimum contracted output purchased under the contract in the 2016-2020 period is 1.5 billion kWh / year; the largest transmission capacity is about 800MW.

According to negotiations between EVN and China Southern Power Grid Company (CSG), CSG can sell electricity to Vietnam from now to 2030 with a capacity of 3,000 MW (or higher) for the whole year and without seasonal factors.

EVN proposes a plan to link the import of Chinese electricity across the border under an asynchronous solution at a voltage of 500kV with an import capacity of about 3,000MW.

One of the research plans is to build a Back-to-Back station near the Vietnam-China border in Lao Cai and a 500kV line to the 500kV Vinh Yen station.

By June 2020, the Vietnamese government decided to buy from China with a total scale of 9 billion kWh/ year and plans to expand the capacity of transmission lines of about 1,800MW on both sides of Lao Cai and Ha Giang.